Proposed trade for the Miami Heat would be a massive gamble.
Over the past couple of days, the bulk of the trade rumors surrounding the Miami Heat involve Kevin Durant. Reports have been circulating that the 15-time All-Star is on the Miami Heat’s radar; it’s just a matter of the Heat being able to allocate enough trade capital to make it work and whether it would be worth essentially going all in for a brief championship window with Durant.
However, a proposed trade exists that, if successful, would give Miami a significantly larger championship window.There is a lot to like about Markkanen when he is healthy. He fits the mold of your modern-day do-it-all-forward, who can shoot the three while still using his length to be a nuisance on the defensive side.
It’s that whole playing for a full-season part that gets a little messy.
Markkanen just finished his eighth NBA season, and he has yet to play 70 games in a single season. In five of his eight seasons, he has played 55 or fewer games, including just 47 this year with Utah.
Don’t do this trade
Bleacher Reports justification for Miami making this trade is:
“We could see a huge front line in Miami with Markkanen, Kel’el Ware and Bam Adebayo, giving this roster a good mixture of outside shooting and defensive versatility.
Miami trading for Lauri Markkanen would be a massive risk
Bleacher Report dropped a proposed trade that would have the Miami Heat acquiring Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz. In this proposal, Miami would send back Nikola Jović, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, the 2025 first-round pick, and the 2030 first-round pick (top-5 protected).
Strictly player for player, Miami fans would gladly dump Rozier and would probably live with Jović and Robinson leaving. If Markkanen were to be as advertised for a full season and into a potential playoff run, he’s better than anyone Miami would find with their No. 20 pick in this year’s draft
Miami would indeed have a massive front line, but they still wouldn’t have a true playmaker bringing the ball up the court, and it would mean that by 2027, there is the potential to have close to $150 million locked up in just Markkanen, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro if he wins up getting an extension.
The Heat are missing pieces in their quest to return to the NBA Finals, but Markkanen does not feel like that piece, and there are better options for Miami to consider
